WAVERLY, Iowa-- The Wartburg men’s basketball team opens its 2012-13 season this weekend as it hosts its annual Buzz Levick Tournament.

This marks the season-opener for all teams in the field.

Follow the Games:
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Click here to watch the live stats.

Schedule:
Friday, Nov. 16:
Rockford vs. Grinnell, 6 p.m.
Wartburg vs. Crown, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 17:
Consolation game: 2 p.m.
Championship game: 4 p.m.

A Look at the Teams:
Crown:
Crown returns 12 players, including a core of five players who saw more than 20 minutes per game last season, from a team that went 7-18. Four members of last year’s starting five return, including UMAC All-Conference honorable-mention winners Taylor Jones and Truman Shetler.

Those two will be joined by Anthijuan Beeks Jr. and Roland Owczarek in the starting lineup. Replacing the graduated David Glover will be well-traveled transfer Anthony DiLoreto. The seven-foot-one junior should be able to reproduce the scoring of the departed Glover, while providing a significant boost to Crown’s defensive and rebounding efforts. Also expecting to see large roles this year will be seniors Andy Harrel and Matt Kuik, who both stepped up for Crown down the stretch last year. T

hose two will be joined by Nick and Drew Krop, who expect to see expanded roles on the wing, and post Jake Jensen to provide a much deeper rotation.

Grinnell:
The Pioneers compiled an 18-5 record last season, the best winning percentage for the program in the past 50 years.

The team will be sparked by a nine-man senior class that includes two-time All-Midwest Conference performer Griffin Lentsch,  who drew national headlines last season when he eclipsed an NCAA Division III record by scoring 89 points against Principia College.

Lentsch, who was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Team, led the nation in 3-pointers per game with 4.43 while averaging 26.2 points an outing.

Rockford:
The Regents have qualified for the NAC postseason tournament every year since the 2008-09 season under Coach Rebsom.

Tory Minnifield returns for his junior season as the team’s leading scorer last season (14.8 PPG). He was also the squad’s second-leading rebounder with 6.2 rebounds per game.

Rockford went 12-14 last year.

Wartburg:
Ten returning lettermen and two starters return from a team that finished 11-14 last year for 16-year head men’s basketball coach Dick Peth.

Peth sees senior Mitchell Murphy (Cresco) and junior Eddie Diemer (Cedar Falls) leading the charge this season.

“Murphy is our starting point guard, and as a freshman, he set the single-season school record in assists with 147,” he said. “He was out his sophomore year due to an injury and was a key contributor last season.”

Murphy needs 55 assists to become the program’s all-time leader.

“Eddie has been a great addition to our program both on and off the court,” commented Peth. “He led us in blocked shots (31) and was second in rebounds (127) last season.”

Three other seniors who contributed last year will probably contribute more — Brandon Flenor (Baltimore, Md.), Drew Crawford (Marion) and Trevor Dismore (Vinton).